zach_fresh
Aquarium Advice Regular
i bought a male fiddler crab for my small tank,do these guys need acess to the surface?
crabs
- Thread starter zach_fresh
- Start date
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Toirtis
God of primitive fishes
Yes.
kaz
Aquarium Advice Addict
I have a red claw and what I did is a bought a plastic 12'' plant that attaches to a rock, this plant goes to the surface and then i stuck a horizontal plant on the glass half way, sticking out of the surface and touching my other surface plant. my red claw now climbs on the virticle plant hops on the horizontal plant and stays there. my crab also like to jump from on deco to another so be aware and he has got out of my tank when i didnt have a hood, sense them I bought a hood and never has left my tank. crab loves to eat peas so you can open a can up and drop some in youll see mine collect them all and take them to his hide out lol greedy basterd.
Legacy
Aquarium Advice Freak
I have 2 fiddler crabs. They climb all over the place and even though mine have a lot of opportunity to get out of the water they have been staying in the water more often than not... unless they're getting out at night.
I hear they are great escape artists so seal up that tank. My tank is only 1/2 full and they haven't even been close to getting out... must only happen in full tanks.
I hear they are great escape artists so seal up that tank. My tank is only 1/2 full and they haven't even been close to getting out... must only happen in full tanks.
Legacy
Aquarium Advice Freak
I just realized you're keeping him in a freshwater tank. No good. That little guy is going to require some brackish water. He'll be ok for a while. Chances are you bought him from a fresh, fully aquatic enviornment like most everyone else.
kaz
Aquarium Advice Addict
arnt the crabs from fresh water not salt water?
Toirtis
God of primitive fishes
Most crabs are from at least mildly brackish water, including all fiddler crabs that I know of.
azn_fishy55
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Fiddler Crabs(Uca sp.) are BW crabs that require some salt.All the crabs I know of are either BW or SW.I don't know many crabs that are FW,but most of them still need access to land.In the wild they live on mudflats which are usually near mangroves swamps.They are a burrowing species that lives in holes.So I think for the crab to be happy you should provide a land area where the crab can dig out a hole.But that is JMO and I think kaz's way in providing the crabs land is fine for the crabs.HTH
Legacy
Aquarium Advice Freak
In all honesty taking the crab back to the LFS wouldn't be any better than keeping it. When I got mine I started to have second thoughts when I found that they weren't coming out of the water that much. I was worried that I was sending them to early deaths. I thought about returning them but how much better off were they really going to be in a fully submerged freshwater enviornment.
If you can give the crab a piece of driftwood to use to get out of the water that would be great. You'll have a good time watching him wave his claw trying to attract females. Mine has done it every day... often times at night.
If you can give the crab a piece of driftwood to use to get out of the water that would be great. You'll have a good time watching him wave his claw trying to attract females. Mine has done it every day... often times at night.
jgc8fan
Aquarium Advice Activist
The thread about the turtle tank led me to something that would help here... Floating islands... Some I found online were only $5 or so. Suction cups to attach it to the tank wall (kinda works like a floating dock), and setup a plant next to it for the crab to climb up to it.
